Hello my friends,
Hi from your mental health advocate. What are some behavior changes you are implementing to best care for yourself?
My unusually high level of anxiety has led me to cut out caffeine, processed sugar and alcohol. I am doing the right things. My anxiety is still sky high.
The lesson I am learning is that I can be doing all the right things and the anticipated result may not come. Nonetheless, keep doing the right things since you are worth your best effort. Perhaps, some unexpected results will come in due time. We will find out.
Besides behavioral changes, I am also trying to clean up my mental space. I want to rewrite the terrible unconscious narratives I have. I invite you to join me.
Here are the main limiting beliefs I am focusing on:
Hopelessness beliefs: what you want is not achievable regardless of your capabilities.
This narrative says there is no hope that you will achieve your desired outcome. False.False. False. I tend to fall into this narrative and don’t do what it takes to become successful in the area I want to. I will give up ahead of time, not follow through or not do other necessary things to create the life I want. Consistency, compassion and asking for help are key steps for me to take to keep combating this limiting belief. Hope can be lethal. I need a lot of it.
Helplessness beliefs: what you want is possible to everyone except for you. You believe everyone else can but you can’t.
Harmful. Harmful beliefs that I need to release. Reinforcing I can. I can. I can. One more time: I Can.
Worthlessness beliefs: you don’t deserve what you want because of who you are, something you did, something you haven’t done.
Forgiveness and compassion plus action towards what you want is a good antidote here.
All beliefs are editable. Rewriting the default belief requires awareness and discipline. I am taking responsibility to change mine. One actionable tip I found helpful is to say “Stop! Those are old beliefs that’s not mine. I choose X” when my old beliefs bubble up. For those of us who live with CPTSD, this work will never stop. We just get better at catching ourselves and choosing a better narrative.
Can you picture a life where your default belief is “I am worthy”? A life where your action shows that you believe you are deserving, capable of achieving anything you set your mind to? Can you picture how you’d show up differently when you face adversity? Would you be kinder and more loving towards your past self?
May we all move outside of our invisible prison in this life time and become the person we desperately need ourselves.
Sharing one more thing before I go:
Fail = First attempt in learning
If you are living with high level of anxiety right now, know that you are not alone. I know the pain to live with a high level of anxiety. It is not enjoyable. What we can do is to be okay with its presence, and do our best to face one fear at a time by taking small actions towards facing our fears. We can do it.
Please be kind to yourself. And please keep walking.
Xiaoyu
